Twelve to Twenty: An Age Group Overlooked by Hoboken

Hoboken NJ

27 October, 2021

1:26 PM

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This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch. Hoboken is a great town for those who are twenty-one or older. There are also numerous playgrounds and activities for younger children. However, for tweens and teens, outside-of-school recreation options are limited. Growing up in the suburbs, I played pickup games of basketball, football or baseball nearly every day after school: my friends and I weren't confined to playing in a small section of a city park, where older Hoboken children are often chased away for an activity as harmful as tossing a football. On bad weather days, a parent would drop me and my friends off at the mall: then considered a safe option. We spent very little but were usually well behaved. Large, finished basements were perfect for gathering and playing board games like Risk (then a favorite of mine). Our town offered several movie theaters, a couple bowling alleys, pool halls, arcades, batting cages and more. Indoors or out, there were many great recreation options suitable for middle school and high school-aged children. We could be kids and didn't need to worry about being chased away. An adult living in Hoboken has a plethora of options. There are more restaurants within a few blocks of me than existed in my entire hometown. We have a theater and art galleries. Nightlife is plentiful. Coffee shops are numerous. I can walk to three different supermarkets. Imagining myself as a twelve to twenty year old: most options vanish. The venues our city is missing disproportionately affect one particular age group. The problem is so pervasive that two different city council candidate questionnaires and one of the two city council debates asked about recreation. These venues are important for the healthy social and emotional development of our children. The city needs to create spaces for this group the same way it provides playgrounds for younger kids. Some options are easier, others are more difficult. Reopen the YMCA for recreation, it's something planned but seems to be delayed indefinitely. I could take the lead on this project: it'd be my third time building out a large space for recreation within Hoboken. I understand the impact these spaces make because I live it every day. My own business, Play! Hoboken, is an affordable and safe entertainment venue for teens and tweens (along with adults and younger children). I welcome the opportunity to work with the City of Hoboken on special programming for schools, youth groups or the City itself with discounted group rates. Encouraging more businesses like Play! Hoboken within the City would not only be a boon to the youth of our city, but also an enormous cost savings opportunity: if Hoboken or the School System provided these entertainment options, the cost to taxpayers would be far more and the accessibility to the general public far less. Youth recreation options is just one of many issues I believe I am well positioned to solve. My skills in business and specifically starting and running businesses in Hoboken would be a boon to the operation of our city and its governance. Election Day is November 2nd - but voters can vote at City Hall now (early voting). I'm asking you to vote for me, Ian Rintel. My ballot position is 3H. I'm also planning to vote for Cindy Wiegand (13H) and Manny Rivera (1H), as I believe that the three of us are the best possible choices to represent Hoboken. This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.